The Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) today confirmed that members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Special Forces successfully reached the crash site of the Air Services Limited Cessna 208 aircraft this morning.
At the crash site, the team recovered the body of the pilot, Nicaraguan national, Captain Ryder Castillo. It took the team more than two days to get to the crash site on foot, since the terrain did not allow for them to be lowered directly into the area.
The single engine aircraft was reported missing on Friday morning after all contact was lost during a flight from Mahdia to Imbaimadai.
A search operation was launched and the crashed aircraft was spotted in the dense jungle terrain on the side of a mountain. The rescue operation was launched, but the terrain made it difficult for the rescue team to get into the site directly.
The recovery efforts went on over the weekend with the GDF team reaching the site early this morning.
The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority is leading the investigations into the tragic incident. It is suspected that the weather in the area at the time might have contributed to the crash.
An aviation source familiar with the investigation explained that from appearances, the pilot may have attempted to change course after realising he was heading into the side of a mountain, but he failed to do so in time.
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